Aur Uska Cinema-nama

Tag Archives: Phalke

Sau Saal (ie) A Hundred years since motion pictures came to life and humans began documenting life in motion. Cinema was an Industry that flourished before almost every human being on earth currently was born . It is Art,Science,Expression and Imagery all infused together to form a visual display of real emotion that connects our world to an alter universe on celluloid. Cinema has the power to bring about change around us and within us. It existed at the time before Bharat became Hindustan and Our ancestors were still in the shackles of The British Raaj . It was used as a propagator of nationalistic sentiment and a call for independence. Pioneer Indian Film-makers like Abdulally Esoofally were responsible for popularizing cinema as a medium in India. He would roam around in a caravan and travel to remote villages with the films made those days that were most often foreign productions . In the villages he would set up a tent and hold screenings for the villagers who were alien to this “Magic Theater”. Over the years with Jamsetji Madan the Indian fraternity of cinema-makers began finding their own voice and expressing it . A Hundread years later we now call ourselves Bollywood and the Expression and Emotion has been replaced with Extravagant Box-Office Ratings and Extensive Public Relation Campaigns. The passion to unite and spread a message through a Story is now overshadowed by inspired narcissistic cinematic ventures that film-makers make to please their ego and pocket a couple of extra bucks from the multi-national production goons.The 80’s and early 90’s is often referred to as the “Mafia” era of Bollywood where major underworld involvement lead to a lot of black money and Crass film-making. However the 21st century is no different as now with the LP’s and EP’s (And other ego-boosting title holders with pigeon heads ) looming over the sets with red-markers and large money barrels we as an industry are only churning out 500 crore movies that have 3D Real-life effects but lack Real-life Emotions. When Cinema begun it was a form of Art …But now it is mere Commerce.Today the Lumiere Brothers “The Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat Station” can be seen in its full length so can DW Griffiths “Birth Of a Nation” .However Our Heritage from Phalke’s “Raja Harishchandra” to Irani’s “Alam Ara” cannot be accessed in entirety because they either were misplaced or burnt down with the production houses. Those that have been preserved are lying untouched ,amidst dust in some Film Archive handled by the government who don’t know the value of those faded memories… And That Forgotten Bharat .